Gay & Lesbian Issues - What's Going On?

According to the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, 84 per cent of gay men, lesbians and bisexual Victorians have been discriminated against because of their sexuality. A 2006 study of 5,500 gay men, lesbians, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) people in Australia found that nearly 70 per cent of GLBTI people modify their daily activities because of fear of prejudice and discrimination. It is no wonder that this has an impact on the health and wellbeing of gay and lesbian people.

While gay and lesbian people are as diverse as the rest of the population, their shared experience of discrimination creates common health issues. Australian society generally regards heterosexuality as the most acceptable sexual orientation, which means that gay men, lesbians and bisexual people may be marginalized and discriminated against.

Gay men and lesbians in Victoria are denied reproductive rights currently enjoyed by heterosexual couples, including access to:

• Adoption
• Artificial insemination
• Other in vitro fertilization techniques.


While many things have improved for gay and lesbian people over the past 50 years in Australia, there is still constant uncertainty about whether they will receive acceptance from families, friends, colleagues and service providers. The constant pressure of dealing with this uncertainty has an impact on health.

Gay men and lesbians have higher rates of mental health disorders than the rest of the population. They also have higher rates of obesity, smoking and unsafe alcohol and drug use, and are more likely to self-harm. These conditions develop in response to the kind of scenarios listed below:

• ‘Coming out’, only to be rejected by family members and friends
• Being bullied or taunted by schoolmates on a daily basis
• Homophobic jokes or harassment in the workplace
• Being threatened or bashed when out on the street
• Hiding part of yourself in social situations for fear of being rejected or marginalized
• Feeling guilt and shame about one’s own sexuality in the face of negative messages being delivered by the society around you.



Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au